Fabricio Coloccini has taken the unusual steop of begging the club's fans to back the club against West Brom on Saturday.
Mike Ashley has taken stick in recent weeks, and it grows by the week as Newcastle near the relegation zone having lost EIGHT games on the bounce.
Coloccini has taken the unusual step of issuing an open letter through the club's media channels ... as though he has been prompted by those in high places.
Ashley knows Colo is a fans' favourite, and if anyone can get the supporters to calm down it is probably him.
But to add insult to injury, rumours suggest that John Carver was going to strip him of the caprain's armband this weekend.
Carver, who accused defender Mike Williamson of deliberately getting sent off in the Magpies' eighth consecutive league defeat at Leicester on Saturday, did not merit a single mention in Coloccini's extensive plea.
Coloccini apologised for the club's recent plight and insisted: "Players and staff have come together in order to leave all past problems aside and to focus 100 per cent on the three 'cup finals' that we have left.
"I would like to make a call to all fans today to also leave aside all differences, all different opinions, anything that divides us as people who love this club.
"On Saturday, please come to St James' Park, create a great atmosphere, support the team more than ever, because at the end of the day what matters the most here is Newcastle United Football Club.
"I am also a fan and I understand how badly you are hurting, but I think that the best fans are those who are there for their club in the worst of situations.
"Today we need you more than ever. In these three games we need to be together, we need to be united, to be a family - a family that fights together against adversity, a family that strives to achieve the success that you and this club deserve."
Steve McClaren gave Ashley the answer he wasn't expecting after a lengthy pursuit of the Derby boss.
McClaren was at the top of the list drawn up by Charnley in January as he looked to replace the departed Alan Pardew, but the Wally With The Brolly won't be Ashley's "Yes Man".
But what respected manager will take the job working under Ashley's restrictions?
He won't be able to pick the players he wants to bring to the club ... that's the job of Charnley himself.
Saturday's 3-0 humiliation at Leicester, during which Williamson and Daryl Janmaat were sent off, left the Magpies in 15th place in the table, but just two points clear of the drop zone.
Thousands of fans have boycotted the last two games in protest at the way they perceive owner Ashley to be running the club - but on Saturday they know only victory will ease their relegation fears.
Given that they have only scored four goals and conceded 18 in the last eight games, that looks a remote prospect unless something changes radically in the Newcastle dressing room.
And Coloccini may not even be captain after the dressing down he got on Saturday.
Oh yes ... it's a mess!
Brought on by an owner who lost interest in the club a long time ago when he got better "toys" one Christmas morning.
And now he has his top players "begging" on his behalf, so he can fend off relegation and save himself £80 million!